Despite the defeat, Methodist has plenty to hang its hat on this season. The Monarchs finish 18-10 for its best record since the 1996-97 season with its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1997. In addition, Methodist also won both the USA South Athletic Conference regular season and tournament championships.
"We came in and did what got us here," said Methodist head coach David Smith. "It just didn’t go like we wanted it to."
However, the difference in the game proved to be the play of Randolph-Macon forward Justin Wansley. The 6-foot-6 sophomore scored a career-high 26 points for roughly half of his team’s production. He scored the Yellow Jackets’ final seven points of the game, including a running lay-up with three seconds remaining following a missed Monarch shot attempt that proved to be the game-winner.
Wansley had to play fantastic because Randolph-Macon, normally a dangerous shooting team from the perimeter, managed to shoot only 17 percent from 3-point range. Methodist, meanwhile, shot 40 percent from the field, including 50 percent (7-for-14) from 3-point range.
The Monarchs led for most of the first half, and clinged to a 30-27 lead at halftime. Dragan Radmanovic, who shot a perfect 3-for-3 from 3-point range in the first half, gave Methodist its largest lead of the first half, 19-13 with a 3-point basket at the 8:02 mark. Radmanovic gave the Monarchs a 30-25 lead with another 3-point basket with 1:11 remaining.
The lead changed hands seven times in the second half, with neither team leading by more than five points. Methodist, however, took a 50-45 lead on Seth Thomas’ jump shot with 3:34 remaining.
That’s when Wansley stepped up for Randolph-Macon. He trimmed the lead to three points on a lay-up with 1:44 seconds remaining, and then hit two free throws with 52 seconds remaining. Methodist held the ball for much of the shot clock, but Thomas missed a jump shot with 13 seconds remaining.
Patrick Gill grabbed the rebound and fed Wansley in transition for the game-winner.
"We heard he (Wansley) was a good player. But until you play him, you just don’t know how good he his," said Methodist forward Sam Porter. "You can’t take anything away from him."
"For us to just make it here, it’s big to us. But we’ll be here again, we’ll work hard to make it."
Eugene Grant scored 16 points to pace Methodist, while Radmanovic scored 13 points on a perfect 5-for-5 from the field and Thomas added 10 points. However, the inside combination of Porter and center Arthur Hatch was held to a combined seven points.
"We just didn’t quit," said Randolph-Macon head coach Mike Rhoades. "They (Methodist) were very composed, but these guys just don’t give up. They believe they can do it. I’m very proud of them."